Preparing to Move

[GRETCHEN SOLDAT]

We are hoping to make our retirement move to Ecuador this summer and starting research for immigration and shipping. After reading all of the info here on Ecuador Insider, I am still not clear about the shipping. I read that once you are a resident, you can ship your domestic goods, but we are still here in the States. We can’t actually become residents BEFORE the move, can we? We have to be here, obviously, to pack our container. Our deed, unfortunately, is still in Ecuador (wasn’t ready when we left) so do we need to show that here to qualify?

And it sounds like we need to go in person to the Ecuadorian Embassy for paperwork? I have contacted your suggested immigration attorney and waiting to hear back but thought I’d get as much info as I could on my own. It sounded like we also need to bring a list of what we’re shipping to the Embassy here as well?

I thought there used to be a list of all the documents required here somewhere but now I can’t find it. FBI report, etc.

Thanks for the help!

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

You can actually get your residency visas while in the U.S. if you want. But yes, you’ll need to make at least one (if not more) trips to your nearest Ecuadorean embassy to get everything completed. I’m not sure if you’ll need the original property deed with you or if a copy will suffice to show that you qualify for an investor’s visa, but I’m sure the attorney can answer that.

Another option that I know some folks have used is to ask the shipping company to hold your container until you get your visa and then send it on its way. There will probably be storage fees associated with that though, so ask the shipping company for details before you decide to go that route.

The paperwork requirements can be found on this page. They are under the heading “Requirements for residence.”

[COUNTRY EXPERT – WENDY DECHAMBEAU]

Oops, I was just informed that as of December you no longer can get residency visas outside of Ecuador. Sorry about the error in my original reply.

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